Early Intervention Funding (EIF)

Surrey County Council is required to have an Inclusion Fund as part of the Early Years National Funding Formula. It supports children with additional needs to access their Funded Entitlements (Funded Early Education (FEE/Early Learning for 2 year olds). In Surrey we refer to this as Early Intervention Funding (EIF).

What is Early Intervention Funding (EIF) for?

Every provider will expect to have children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) attend their setting. With careful planning, these children can fully participate. However, there may be times when children need some extra support.

All settings must give staff what they need to support inclusion. The designated Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator (SENCO) is allowed enough, dedicated time to perform their role. This is key to promoting and maintaining inclusion. Providers should make reasonable adjustments for all children, which may include changes to the curriculum or approach. Good planning for inclusion can be achieved through a SEND or Inclusion policy and by following the Surrey Early Years Graduated Response (PDF).

Funding can only be applied for children who are in receipt of Funded Early Education (FEE/Early Learning for 2 year olds). It is given according to the level of need, detailed within the child's Surrey Support Plan (DOC).

You could consider the following when thinking about children who may need additional support:

• Enhancing the staff ratio - providing smaller groups
• To support Emotional Resilience
• To support speech, language, and communication development
• Appropriate training for staff to be able to meet the specific needs of the child/ren, as identified in the Surrey Support Plan/s
• Appropriate resources identified by professionals
• To support children with a transition – for example, into a new room, a different setting or into school.

EIF for new starters

Despite best plans, we do understand that sometimes you will not be aware of a child's individual needs before they start with you. If this is the case, please speak to your Early Year SEND Advisor and complete a Request for Support (DOC) as soon as you are able to. If you need funding to make sure the child's needs are met and their safety is ensured, please complete as much of the Surrey Support Plan as you able to, showing how you are gathering information to best support the child and what support you plan to put in place.

Universal Plus – for children at risk of delay

Some children may need an increased level of support that sits just above your universal offer.

Universal Plus funding is for those children who require additional support and may be able to make progress through evidence-based interventions. This funding is for children at risk of delay or have low or emerging needs within the three main areas.

It is short term funding to allow for booster interventions or targeted support to close gaps. Booster interventions may be delivered through small group activities. Targeted support may help to reinforce the learning throughout the session.

Before making the application, please contact your early years advisor to discuss your universal offer and the appropriateness of a submission to the EIF panel.

Please complete the following pages of the Surrey Support Plan for Universal Plus funding.

• Family and Child Details
• One Page Profile
• Progress Tracker
• Summary of Strengths and Needs
• Early Intervention Funding

These are pages 1 to 5 and 14 in the Surrey Support Plan (DOC).

Please note that by submitting any Early Intervention Funding (EIF) application form, you are agreeing to receive and implement support and guidance from the Educational Effectiveness Team or Early Years SEND Team.

The EIF Panel will make a decision on the level of funding based on the information provided on the EIF application form (DOC) and Surrey Support Plan (DOC).

Targeted or Enhanced Support – for children with a higher level of need

Applications are welcomed for children who continue to make less progress than expected despite evidence-based support and interventions.

The EIF panel will look to award funding based on the level of need as detailed within the child's Surrey Support Plan (DOC). Practitioners should complete the child's one-page profile, Early Years Foundation Stage Development tracker, a completed Summary of Need page, and at least one completed cycle of targets detailing advice from other professionals and referrals.

For children with the most complex or persistent needs, we expect a comprehensive Surrey Support Plan detailing recurring cycles of Assess, Plan, Do, Review, showing how the setting has involved and included professionals' advice when supporting the child.

For individual Early Intervention Funding, you need to submit the EIF application form (DOC) alongside the Surrey Support Plan and any other reports you hold for the child.

Setting parent/carer consent form

The EIF setting parent/ carer consent form (DOC) is a document that settings can pass on to parents/ carers to gain their consent for the application. It also explains how the funding can be used to support their child's needs.

Settings may have a similar consent form already in place. Where is this case, the setting can choose to continue using their existing form can use the form we have provided.

Please note, settings do not need to send the consent form in with EIF applications. It is for your records only.

Early Intervention funding forms

• EIF application form (DOC)
• EIF setting parent/ carer consent form (DOC)

Deadlines for submission of applications

Provisional dates (1 April 2027)

Dates from 1 April 2027 are provisional and may be subject to change pending Local Government Reorganisation and establishment of new authority arrangements.

North East Quadrant

North West Quadrant

South East Quadrant

South West Quadrant

Please note - applications received after the submission deadline date will not be considered until the subsequent panel date.

Please ensure you read the EIF Terms and Conditions (PDF) and Terms of Reference (PDF)

Contact the Early Years SEND Team

If you require any support with completing an EIF application or accompanying Surrey Support Plan, please contact your Early Years SEND Team:

• sectorne@surreycc.gov.uk for Elmbridge, Spelthorne, Epsom and Ewell
• sectornw@surreycc.gov.uk for Runnymede, Surrey Heath, Woking
• sectorse@surreycc.gov.uk for Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead
• sectorsw@surreycc.gov.uk for Guildford and Waverley